Back-side solar cell soldering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12563863-B2
Application number	US-202218075240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2022
Priority date	Dec 5, 2022
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

Methods of soldering wire, such as traces or ribbon, onto single or multi-busbar solar cells. Devices constructed with such methods may also be covered. Methods may include providing a wire, such as a trace or ribbon, tack soldering the wire at one or more locations to a workpiece, such as solar cell component, and then passing the combined tacked wire and solar cell component through a heating zone where heat is applied to the backside of the solar cell component such that solder in contact with the wire melts and solders the wire to the solar cell component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of assembling a two-dimensional array of PV (photovoltaic) cells into a multi bus-bar PV laminate, the array of PV cells positioned on a surface of a conveyor system, each PV cell of a first row of PV cells of the two-dimensional array of PV cells being previously coupled to a wire, the method comprising:
positioning the first row of PV cells into a work area; applying a force to push the wire and each PV cell of the first row of PV cells towards each other; and applying heat to an underside side of each PV cell of the first row of PV cells, the heat having a temperature high enough to solder the wire to each of the PV cells in the first row of PV cells.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
moving the first row PV cells out of the work area and positioning a second row of PV cells of the two-dimensional array of PV cells into the work area.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the conveyor system is adapted to generate the heat applied to the underside of the first row of PV cells.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein a circumference of the wire is covered in solder before the first row of PV cells is positioned in the work area.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the force to push the wire and each PV cell of the first row of PV cells towards each other is applied by a roller.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein after soldering the wire to each PV cell of the first row of PV cells a cross-section of the solder around the circumference of the wire is nonuniform.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the conveyor system has a heating element opposite a roller that is applying the force to push the wire and each PV cell of the first row of PV cells towards each other.

Assignees

• Maxeon Solar Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Sandoval Vergil Rodriguez

Classifications

• H10F77/937

  Busbar structures for modules · CPC title

• H10F71/00

  Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) · CPC title

• H10F71/1375

  Apparatus for automatic interconnection of photovoltaic cells in a module · CPC title

• H10F77/939 Primary

  Output lead wires or elements · CPC title

• H10F19/902 Primary

  for series or parallel connection of photovoltaic cells · CPC title